Harp device for organs.



,- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BASIL o. AUSTIN, or HARTFORD, con vnorrcn'r, Assrernon TO AUSTIN ORGAN COMP NY, or HARTFORD, connno'rrour, A CORPORATION or MAINE.

, I To all whom it may concern:

of music, it is of especial utility when in-' corporated in or forming part of a pipe organ.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an article of thecharacterset forth which is exceedingly compact, simple in construction, and by which agreeable and pleasant tone effects are obtained.

The appliance possesses other features of.

novelty and advantage, which with the foregoing will be stated at length in the follow ing description, wherein will set forth that one of the several forms of embodiment of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawingsaccompanying and forming part of the present specification, this showing being provided to enable those skilled in the art to practicetheinvention. I do not restrict myself to said disclosure; I may depart therefrom within the scope of the invention in several respects, defined bythe claims followinglsaid description.

Referring to said draw'ingsz Figure lis a longitudinal sectional view, and, Fig. 2

a frontelevation of a harp device involving my invention.

views.

- There maybecases Generally, however, there ,will be a set of them arranged inone or more scales or otherwise to slut-part cular necessltles.

The device comprises a soundinglmember' such as a bar, and a resonator, theresonator being ofa shape corresponding to the well known form of an organ pipe, so that the Specification of Letters Patent.

Like characters refer to lik e parts in both wherebut one of these I devices is used, for instance, ln-an organ.

HARP DEVICE FOR ORGANS.

Patented Jan. 4, 19 6.

7 Application filed March 12, 1915. Serial No. 13,987.

harp device can be used interchangeably with the organ pipes which is a feature of importance. This resonator like such a pipe, is somewhatelongated as is the sounding member or bar to which I have alluded, the two extending in parallelism or as it might otherwise be stated, the sounding member extending in the direction of the length of the resonator which is another ad:

. vantageous feature, as by it compactness is insured. The resonator itself'is new, and the manner 1n whlch the soundlng member is associated therewith is also new. The

sounding member is also mounted in a novel and advantageous manner. I

The resonator shown is denoted in a gen eral way by 2 comprising as shown the hollow body 3 of wood or metal or a composition of materials as may be preferred. In

. the tubular or hollow body 3 is mounted a core a which closely fits within the body 3,

sirable manner, for example, the core may be glued into the body. Said core may be made of any desirable material, for instance any one of those mentioned in connection with the tubular body 3. The resonator 2 has a mouth as 6. formed as shown in the tube 3 thereof, the inner or upper end of the core 4Lbeing practically coincident with the loweredge of the mouth 6.

Inthe space in they upper part of the resonator 2 and slidable comparatively freely within the tube 3 thereofis the plug 7 adjustable longitudinally of the resonator .to define the pitch of the air columnwithin the space or chamber in which said plug is situated. As shown this plug 7 is pro-.- vided with an outwardly extending manipulating handle 8. I

resonator is a suitable sounding member suchas the bar 9 which as illustrated is flat I and of elongated rectangular form. I The sounding member as will .beinferred may ;vary-as to shape and material, although I ordinarily make it "of brass. This a sounding bar 9. is disposed exteriorly of the the two being rigidly connected in any de- I Extending across the mouth 6 of the L resonator 2 extends longitudinally and crosses the mouth '6 thereof, being flexibly suspended. It has a bearing against suitable non-resonant parts, such as the felt pads 10 and 11 placed above and below the mouth (5, so that that part of the sounding bar 9 which crosses said mouth is free for vibration which, however, is not transmitted to the pads 10 and 11. These pads which may be made of felt, rubber or other suitable material can be attached in any desirable manner to the front face of the resonator.

To hold the sounding ba i) in proper engagement with the pads 10 and 11 without in any wise interfering with the vibration of said bar, flexible elements as 12 and 13 may be provided, these flexible elements consisting advantageously of pieces of fish cord as it is known in commerce. The two pieces of cord are passed through perforations in the sounding bar 9 opposite the pads 10 and 11 respectively and are knotted as at 14- and 15 on the "front side of the bar which acts as a convenient means for preventing the cords from being pulled from place. The outer ends of the cords are fastened to the resonator by means of screws as 16 threaded into the front of said resonator and between the heads of which and the outer ends of said cord washers serving their customary function may be interposed. This construction maintains the sounding bar 9 in proper operative relation with the two pads or their equivalents without in any wise interfering with its proper vibration.

The hammer for the soundingbar is denoted by 17. On the front of the resonator is the customary stop 18 cooperative with the hammer 17. \Vhile the hammer 17 or its equivalent may be mounted and operated in any desirable manner, I prefer that it and its operating part be carried upon the resonator, so that the resonator and the hamn'ier and actuating mechanism present a unit which can be mounted or dismounted as such. The hammer is preferably pneumatically operated, and in the present case acts by pressure. The bellows 19 act satisfactorily in this connection. The shank of the hammer is connected with. the outer or swinging board of the bellows, the inner flap or board o'l the bellows being attached as by one or more screws to the resonator. The inner board of the bellows has a port 20 in register with one end. of the right angular port 21 in the foot or base of the resonator, the pipe 22 for the supply of air under pres sure being fitted into the other end of said port 21. As shown said port 21 is formed in the outer or foot end of the core t. The operative movement of the hammer 17 is offected as will be understood by the bellows 19, retractive movement of the hammer being accomplished in any desirable way, for example by the spring 23. It will be clear that upon the expansion of the bellows 19 the head of the hammer 17 will be caused to strike the sounding bar 9, and when the pressure is cut ofi', the spring will return the hammer 17 to its initial position.

It will be noticed that the flexible carriers 13 extend longitudinally of and oppositely from the resonator 2 and that they are situated in the space between the sounding member 9 and resonator.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a resonator having a duct, a sound ing member 011 the resonator, a hammer for the sounding member, and a pneumatic to which said hammer is connected, the pneu matic being on the resonator, the resonator, the sounding member, the hammer and the pneumatic constituting a unit and being mountable and dismountable as such, and the pneumatic being in communication with said duct.

2. A. device 01. the class described comprising a resonator having a duct, a sounding member and a pneumatic both carried by the resonator, the pneumatic being in communication with said duct, and the resonator with the sounding member and the pneumatic being mountable and dismountable as a unit.

3. A device of the class described comprising a resonator having a duct, a sounding member and a bellows both supported by the resonator, the bellows being in com munication with said duet, a hammer supported by the movable member of the bellows, a spring connected with said movable member and with the body of the resonator for expanding the bellows, the resonator with the sounding member and the bellows being mountable and dismountablc as a unit.

t. A device of the class described comprising an elongated resonator, a sounding member extending longitudinally of the resonator, and flexible cords connected with the sounding member and extending oppositely therefrom in the direction of the length of said resonator, said cords being connected with the resonator.

A device of the class described comprising an elongated resonator, a sounding member extending longitudinally of the resonator, cords located between the sounding member and the resonator, the sounding member being perforated and the cords be ing extended through the perforations and provided with retaining means on the front of the sounding member, the cords extending oppositely to each other and longitudinally of the resonator, the cords being connected at their ends with the resonator.

6. A device of the class described comprising an elongated resonator having a mouth, asounding bar crossing the mouth and disposed in the direction of the length of the resonator, flexible cords between the resonator and the sounding bar, the latter being perforated and the cords extending through Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature the perforations at opposite sides of said in presence of two Witnesses. throat and being knotted on thefront of the BASIL G. AUSTIN. sounding bar said cords extending oppo- Witnesses: v 5 sitely to each other and their terminals be- 7 L. L.' MARKEL,

ing connected with the resonator. HEATH SUTHERLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, I). 0. 

